Enemy of Mine
by loralye
Summary: AU: Buffy's mom died when she was born leaving Buffy to grow up with her dad in LA. She doesn't become the slayer, but is a potential slayer. Now being 21 and unemployed, she finds a job in Sunnydale. Too bad she doesn't know that this job entails.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1-

Walking home always bothered me.

Sure walking home is essential in order for me to sleep, eat, shower, talk to people that supposedly love you.

But what is it really?

They say home is where the heart is, but I say home is where they expect you.

I never really felt at home, I felt more outside of my house than in it.

So yes, walking home bothers me. Part of me wants to keep walking past it, outside of this town, outside of this life. As if a driving force knows that this isn't where I'm supposed to be.

I always felt like I was somewhere else, even when I went home. When I graduated high school, and went to college. It was as if I was on automatic pilot and my whole life just sort of passed by.

I know one thing was for sure and that was that I never fit in anywhere I went.

Sure I was popular, a cheerleader complete with the short skirt and matching pom poms.

But was I ever truly at home? Was I happy?

I always get the same answer, no.

There was always something missing, something gone for my life.

Somehow, Buffy can't seem to fit in anywhere.

Even in the no nonsense profession of being a nurse, I was unusual. I was never grossed out by anything I saw or did. I also really only liked the idea of helping people. I never really saw myself as a savior or anything. Just another person trying to help people out.

In college I never really thought about the career options or if being a nurse was the right thing for me. I just kind of felt it was better than nothing at all. I mean college was never really my scene, the whole late night partying and drinking got old really fast.

College was also sort of a blur, just a bunch of studying and late night coffee drinking.

I did like to make people better though. This is what kept pulling me through college, it gave me this feeling that I was doing the right thing. It fulfilled something inside me, like some type of purpose.

But since I graduated eight weeks ago, getting a job has been tough. It seems like every place I go to already had enough nurses. Even assistant nurses!

As I get up to see the Monday morning paper and scan through the dwindling classified section of jobs.

I notice dad already awake and with his usual cup of coffee. No food for him just coffee in the mornings, whenever he is actually here in his supposedly own home.

His job, is overseeing a large company whose products just happen to come from China, this usually ends up with him being gone for months at a time.

This was always how it was, me being by myself, and him gone to China most of the time.

There were also other times that he was in town but never even came home due to his many girlfriends.

I never really knew when he was back or not, we basically never talked even when he was here.

I suppose the relationship was just distant at best. This was also one of the reasons why this house never felt like a home, there was never anyone in it.

I always knew that if my mother hadn't died when I was a baby due to getting hit in the head by someone trying to steal her purse. I wouldn't be very interested in nursing at all. My life would also have been drastically different too. However, I can't really see my dad as being any more different now, then how he supposedly was.

When I was growing up, I had to have a full time nurse for the first five years before she died too, however that was only old age.

The next nanny/nurses were okay, but most ended being fired due to my dad having sex with them then breaking up with them to have another girlfriend.

I did finally have a male nurse from 8-14 but he soon moved from LA to Florida with his new boyfriend.

After 14 I got depressed and told my dad no more nanny's I was old enough anyway to take care of myself anyway.

That's when he bought a new house with a nice pool to make up for the fact he couldn't really be around.

So that was how it was.

Not really a bad life, but not a great one either.

Now being 22, unemployed and no boyfriend can be a bit depressing.

However, I consider myself lucky because just as I sit down with my dad I notice a small add towards the bottom of the paper.

SUNNYDALE HIGH SCHOOL LOCATED IN SUNNYDALE, CA

IMMEDIATE VACANCY: HIGH SCHOOL NURSE

NURSING DEGREE REQUIRED.

MUST BE ABLE TO GET BACKGROUND CHECK.

PLEASE SEND RESUME TO

PRINCIPAL WOOD

"What are you reading, your getting pale Buffy?"

"Nothing, just a job I found."

"Sounds great, you should get out more Buffy, you've been in this house for too long."

"Did you want me to leave?" I look at him questioningly.

"No, of course not. I just think it might do you some good to find a new place, of your own for a little while."

"So, you do want me to leave." I look back down at the paper. I can tell this conversation is going to be serious when I hear him exhale loudly.

"I know, I'm not the best dad in the world, hell I won't win an award. But I paid for you, even your degree. I had hoped that once you got it you could do your own thing one day."

"I'm trying Dad! But it's not as if they are just handing out jobs nowadays."

"Then try out for this one, maybe you'll get it." He tries to smile at me but it comes out like a grimace.

"Look, what I'm trying to say is that I'm selling the house, Buffy."

"Your what!"

"Business has been hard lately, and Buffy you're 24 now, you don't need it anymore and I'm hardly around to really use it."

I stare at him unconvinced.

"Okay, look I'm moving in with Sharon finally, and she wants to buy her own house."

"Oh, Sharon." Of course he would pick that red headed bimbo over me any day, with boobs the size of hers she probably could get anything she wanted form my dad.

"Well, I guess that settles that, then." I raise myself out of my chair, and head up stairs.

"Wait!"

"Buffy, look it isn't like that!"

I slam the door so hard one of my pictures falls down and I hear the glass shatter.

"Well, Sunnydale here I come." I start to look for my best I'm a professional and hire me work clothes for the interview in my closet.

While trying to listen if maybe he would have followed me upstairs, instead all I hear is the slamming of the front door.

Good, I try to tell myself, as I start to cry, its better this way. He did pay for my degree and that's worth something. I try not to let it get to me, that he didn't even try to talk to me.

I mean I'm the one who left to go to my room, right?

But somehow thinking this doesn't help.

As I slide down next to my dresser, interview clothes slipping from my hands, I realize how sad and lonely I've truly been for the first time.

I'm full out crying now. Making those terrible weepy noises women make when they cry.

I curl into myself and lay down on the floor, thinking about how things would have been different if only my mom had stayed alive.

Authors Note:

I had another idea and figured I might as well hash it out again to see where it goes, hopefully far lol... Thanks.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2-

RUN! I could hear someone screaming at me. I felt myself running in some sort of cemetery.

I kept running trying to run towards the voice telling me to run.

Suddenly I was in front of a house. Something about it looked right, I had a sudden urge to get inside it.

I started to open the door and it somehow opened for me. As I walked in I instantly felt safe, now this is what a home should feel like, I thought while looking at it.

It had cozy fireplace, a comfortable sofa with lots of candles and art filling the house.

I passed by a window, and saw something outside it. I got closer towards it and saw that it was open.

I felt the need to close the window, since something about it open didn't feel right.

As I stepped closer to the window, I am overcome with a cold chill at the back of my neck as if an air conditioner just turned on. But the air was still.

Feeling a little stupid for being afraid of a window, I try to grab hold of the top part of the sill and pull down. However it's stuck, looking outside I didn't see anything so I start to look for the problem of how it could be stuck.

I notice on the outside is a small note attached to the top of the sill by a silver cross.

Looking at it, I reach outside with my hand to unlatch the chain.

"There you are!" A dark voice booms from the outside and catches my hand.

I realize to my horror that I am being yanked outside by my hand.

In the dark I start to see a tall dark haired man with an evil smile attached to his face.

"Oh Buffy, we've been waiting for you."

He reaches over and I scream as he latches onto my shoulder and bites down.

"AHH!" I scream into darkness, and quickly stumble to my lamp by the bed.

Once the light is on, my breathing becomes less hard. I notice I am covered in sweat and feel a wetness on my cheeks.

I was crying?

Well, that hasn't happened for a while.

I try to remember the dream but only bits and pieces remain in my mind.

Something about a house, a chain, and some sort of guy into biting girls on the shoulder.

Hardly the stuff of nightmares, but for some reason my dream seems to have left me shaken.

Sleeping on the floor probably doesn't help make good dreams, but its been a while since I've had a nightmare.

Maybe, I was just upset over the whole getting kicked out of my house thing.

"Great, why would my dad need to do this now?" I exclaim to the empty room.

Maybe, I'll just take a little trip to this Sunnydale, CA anyway, even if I don't get the job it's worth a shot. I could use a mini vacation for a few days anyway.

I look over at the clock, 4 AM.

Strange, I've never woken up before 7 AM and even then that only happens with an alarm close by.

I start to pack enough clothes for a few days. I'll stay at some crappy hotel or something, since I probably only had 400 left from my life savings.

Getting into my dad's beat up nissan, was probably pushing it.

But we are fighting and I should be allowed to do something rebellious and unreasonable when we're fighting.

Never mind that I'm not insured since I wrecked virtually every vehicle I tried to drive.

"What do I care? He's driven me to talking to myself anyway."

He was the one who wanted me to get a job, why shouldn't I drive it just once?

Packing ended up with three suitcases stuffed in the trunk and four purses filled with small stuff.

I've never been anywhere before so I figured its better to be safe than sorry.

Going online has never really been my thing either, I learned just enough about computers to pass college. No techno Buffy here.

But I knew enough that I could get directions online, so I sit for another half hour learning how to print out my directions.

I take one final look at my supposed home. Everything I ever used or liked was here.

Oh well, no use feel sorry for myself, I'm just being stupid.

Once remembering where the gas and break pedals were again, courtesy my neighbors mailbox. I was running smoothly down the highway.

The sun rising up in the sky, I was already feeling better.

Finally, I was leaving the town that I never fit in, and going somewhere new and exciting. Even if new and exciting probably wasn't Sunnydale, I still had high hopes.

Finally reaching Sunnydale was surreal.

For one thing, the town probably wasn't very large.

The whole town had a very cheery feeling, but something about it felt strange.

I instantly liked it.

Going past the movie theatre, I suddenly saw a sign pointing to a large building.

GRAND OPENING

"SUNNYDALE HIGH SCHOOL."

Weird, what happened to their old high school?

Looking around the kids looked cheerful enough, most were wearing darker color's, maybe the goth thing was big around here.

Parking my car and getting out I made my way over to the entrance of the school.

I decided it was probably best to just come in and turn in my resume right away since it was probably too early to get a hotel room.

Looking for the principal's office turned out to be fairly easy, however meeting with the school secretary was instantly deflating.

"How may I help you?" She asked looking at me through her very thick glasses.

"I would like to put in my resume for the nurse's position."

"Normally people fax or mail their resume's in."

"I was in town." No need to tell her anything more personal. She couldn't possibly be looking anymore smug with her stringy black hair and pug nose.

"I'm sorry miss, but we have a policy here at Sunnydale High that all faculty members send in their resume's through the mail, email, and fax only." She looked so proud of herself.

I quickly decided not to fight with her and decided that mailing it in shouldn't be too hard.

As I started to get up and leave, a tall good looking African American man came in.

"Sorry I'm late, Cynthia. I had a late night last night and…" He suddenly stopped and stared at me strangely.

"Mr. Wood, this is another applicant for the nurse position. She didn't understand that we only allow mail, emailed and faxed resumes."

"Well, I see no reason why we can't just have an interview now that you're here." He was still staring at me strangely.

"But, sir I don't think that our policy…"

"Never mind policy Cynthia, this young lady obviously came a long way and we should at least consider that into our policy." He smiled charmingly at her.

"Of course if you would like to miss…"

"Summers."

"Well then Miss Summers if you'll follow me into my office we can discuss the job."

Something about him made me instantly like him, he had a spark to his eyes and a quickness that I admired. Of course I would have to remind myself that he was the Principal not potential boyfriend material.

Walking into his office and taking the seat closest to the door, I started to feel on edge. I really wanted the job, but what if he saw my low experience as a disadvantage?

"Don't be nervous, I haven't really interviewed that many people, as you can see we just rebuilt the whole school and finding people to take the job has turned out to be quite hard.

"Why is that?"

"Oh just silly superstition is all, this High School had some problems with plumbing, so people thought it was cursed."

"They thought it was cursed just because of plumbing?" I looked unconvinced.

"Well the old principal and mayor were a bit corrupt, people just seem to have such wild imaginations here in Sunnydale, you have to understand this is a special town and most have lived here their whole lives, so superstitions die hard here." He smiled reassuringly.

"It takes a lot to scare me away." I smile back at him just as reassuringly.

"Well then, Miss Summer it looks like you have a job here."

"Really? Just like that? You haven't even looked at my resume."

"Well, I'm a man who goes by his gut and my gut tells me that you would fit in perfectly here."

"That's amazing! I've been looking everywhere in LA" I instantly shut up knowing I'm babbling.

"That's fine, I'll have you start this Monday if that's okay?"

"Great, yeah that would be great."

"Good I'll have Cynthia get you the paperwork.

I try to stop smiling but as I get up to leave the office, I can't help but have a little smirk of my own as the obviously noisy Cynthia must have heard everything, with that distraught look on her face as she slams some papers down on the desk in front of me.


End file.
